Law & Order: Special Victims Unit follows the detectives of New York City Police Department's Manhattan Special Victims Unit, based out of the 16th precinct, as they investigate sexually based offenses. Originally the show focused around the senior detectives, Elliot Stabler and John Munch, and their partners, Olivia Benson and Brian Cassidy. The detectives were supervised by veteran Captain Donald Cragen and received support from Detectives Monique Jeffries and Ken Briscoe. When Cassidy transferred to Narcotics after thirteen episodes, Jeffries partnered with Munch until the beginning of the second season, when Munch was permanently partnered with Detective Fin Tutuola. The unit did not receive a full time assistant district attorney until the second season, when Alexandra Cabot was assigned full time to work with the detectives. After Cabot's departure in season five, she was replaced by Casey Novak and Kim Greylek before returning to the series in season ten.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit focuses on Crimes of a sexual nature. While the victim is often murdered, this is not always the case, and victims often play prominent roles in episodes. The series frequently uses stories that are "ripped from the headlines" or based on real Crimes. Such episodes take a real Crime and fictionalize it by changing the details.